The Xenophon Overton Pindall House was built in c. 1910, most likely for former acting Governor Pindall and his family.  The design of the home is a combination of Craftsman and Tudor Revival styles.  X.O. Pindall was raised in Missouri and Arkansas and eventually started a law practice in southeastern Arkansas during the late 1890s.  In 1902, Pindall was elected to the state House of Representatives.  In 1906, he was a candidate for state Attorney General, but was defeated; instead he was elected to the Arkansas Senate in the later special election to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Senator Howard Robb.  In 1907, after being elected President Pro Tempore of the Senate, X.O. Pindall became the acting Governor of Arkansas due to the elected Governor's emotional and physical breakdown.  He served as acting Governor for a year and seven months, except for five days when the Speaker of the House had himself sworn in as Governor while Pindall was out of the state.  In 1909, Pindall returned to private law practice and quickly became a prominent jurist and civic leader.  Governor Pindall and his family only lived in this home until 1915.  Over the next few decades, the house began to fall into disrepair.  In 1998, the home was purchased by the McMillen family, who renovated and restored the property.  Homeowners Marsha Stone and Lee Weber now display a wonderful variety of collections throughout the home, including a large collection of Victorian era advertisements and memorabilia, as well as high-fashion dolls collected by Marsha and beautifully displayed in cases built by Lee.

 

 

The Theo Sanders House was likely designed and constructed by Theo Sanders himself in 1920.  Sanders was a Little Rock native and renowned architect of the Ada Thompson Memorial Club, Women's City Club, and the Cornish House (on the route of this year's Tour at 1800 Arch).  He was a partner in Thompson, Sanders and Ginocchio, that is now known as Cromwell Architects & Engineers.  The exterior of the Theo Sanders House is a combination of styles that he was well versed in designing: Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Tudor Revival.  On the inside of the home, touches like a original 1920s ceiling fan, and alternating door types, show the whimsy that Sanders employed when designing his personal residence.  Sanders died in 1947, after spending six years in retirement working for community and charity organizations.  His home then reverted to the ownership of his wife, who had been previously hospitalized permanently after suffering a stroke shortly after their marriage.  The home either sat vacant or was rented for the next decade.  After that period the home served as a halfway house for young boys for a period of time, and was later converted into a boarding house.  An addition was added to the home during this period of multiple occupancy.  In 2015, Kevin Keech and Tanya Rollins purchased the home and restored it to a single family dwelling.  Kevin and Tanya employed Toni Johnson of Johnson Consulting to aid in making historically appropriate improvements to the home, while employing their own personal touches, finding that Sanders' whimsical interior matches well with their own eclectic tastes.

 

The house at 1910 Arch Street was built in c. 1890 for George W. Martin and his wife, Margaret Caldwell Martin.  The surrounding area was developed for residential use with the help of local architect Frank Gibb, who may have had a hand in the design of the original Queen-Anne Style house on this property.  The Martin's were known to love entertaining, which is evident in the original expensive interior finishes including quarter-sawn oak trim, paneling, and impressive inlaid parquet floor in the entry.  James Kirkwood Runnah and his wife Mai purchased the home in 1894.  In 1924, Mrs. Tunnah sold the home to Judge Guy Fulk, who immediately went to work on renovating this property into the hybrid Tudor-Revival - Craftsman Style residence you see today, with designs created by architects Charles Thompson and his partner Thomas Harding.  During the 1950s and through the 1970s, the property was divided up into apartments.  The home was eventually left vacant and in such a deteriorated state, it was condemned by the city.  Thanks to local officials who recognized the historic nature of the house, the residence was saved and eventually brought back to life by subsequent owners, including current owners, Amber and Scott Jones, who have raised three daughters within its lovely and comfortable walls.

REDDING HOUSE, c. 1902

1716 S. Gaines Street

The Redding House was constructed in 1902 by an unknown investor to market as a rental home.  It is uniquely ornate for a rental home, with Colonial Revival details and intricate interior woodwork.  The first tenant was Sid B. Redding.  Redding served as the Clerk for the U.S. Eastern District Court as well as a life insurance salesman.  Redding lived in the home with his wife and children as well as the occasional tenant until 1910.  The home changed hands several times over the next few years, and people from several different backgrounds including a dentist, a building contractor, and the Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral lived in the home.  In 1937, the home sold to Edward F. Baxter, who remained in the home until his death in 1957.  Through the next decades the house had many owners that made efforts to open bed and breakfasts in the home as well as restoration efforts to bring it back to its original glory.  It was not until 2007, when Constance and Charles Manning purchased the home that significant efforts were made to rehabilitate it.  Much of the original woodwork was maintained due to their efforts.  In fall 2016, after being elected Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Justice Dan Kemp and his wife, Susan Kemp, purchased the home.  Working with Toni Johnson of Johnson Consulting, they have undertaken additional rehabilitation to enhance the home's stately, yet very comfortable, living spacees.  The Kemps moved into the Redding House in late 2016.

 

The Sam Scull House was constructed in 1913 for Samuel Scull, a travel agent and salesman.  The home is a classic Craftsman Style home, employing the use of a low-pitched, front facing gable above the porch, tapered columns, and exposed rafter tails.  Samuel, his wife Clara, and his two children moved into the home in 1914.  They lived in the home until 1926.  The home changed hand several times over the next two decades, until salesman Albert B. Boehler, and his wife Caroline purchased the home.  Boehler's family would remain in the home until the late 1970s.  The house changed hands several times in the proceeding decade and was vacant for a period, until Delbra Stewart purchased the home in 1988.  In 2000, Joe van den Huevel and Ted Holder purchased the home from Delbra after the 1999 tornado struck downtown and destroyed the home in the adjoining lot.  After purchase, they began a rehabilitation process that took several years to complete, including beautifully restored woodwork.  If you ask Ted and Joe, they'll say their home is always a work in progress.  The home is enhanced throughout by the couple's remarkable art collection, including many works by Arkansas artists.